OUR 2017 COOKERY DEMO CHEFS

Willi Rehbock | Festival Executive Chef

Our festival executive chef Willi Rehbock (as you’ve probably guessed) is of German origin, but has lived in England for over 20 years. He has a City and Guilds Diploma in Professional Cookery, as well as teaching and food hygiene qualifications and has worked in 4 and 5 star hotels as executive Chef for many years before becoming a professional food Lecturer. Willi is passionate about food and is not only an excellent cook, but an outstanding teacher. He was a cookery lecturer at Milton Keynes College and Exeter College, and until recently taught there both in Further and Adult Education classes. Now running Rosehill Rooms and Cookery full time.

Saturday 8 April 2017The Public Hall, Station Road, Budleigh Salterton

11.30am | Stuart White | Head chef of the Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth

After leaving Exeter College in 2001 Stuart has worked in several Hotels and Restaurants in the South West before moving to Cardiff for the reopening and re-branding of the Thistle Hotels. He then moved back to Devon with an initial 3 month Stage at John Burton Race’s, Michelin Star Restaurant, The New Angel in Dartmouth before joining the Victoria Hotel, part of the Brend Group, in Sidmouth in 2009.

In 2010 Stuart was offered the opportunity to complete a month Stage at Heston Blumenthal’s 3 Michelin Star, The Fat Duck. From where he returned to the Victoria Hotel as Sous Chef, before being promoted to Head Chef in 2011. ​

12.30pm | Andy Witheridge | The Salty Monk, Sidford

Learn some top tips from a professional chef at this demo, looking at knife skills and all round kitchen skills

Andy Witheridge started out on the Michelin circuit after qualifying at Bournemouth Catering College many moons ago!! After years in the trade he set up on his own, providing outside catering services and consultancy work. Then after franchising a couple of local businesses he bought The Salty Monk with his wife in September 1999. Taking the business from derelict to divine became their passion, following it with local sourcing long before it was trendy and now supporting only artisan, small, local or english businesses along the way.

The Salty Monk has won numerous awards over the years but there is no denying that success lies in the consistent quality and attention to detail that they have shown over their 17 year tenure.

1.30pm | Pete Woodham Kay & Steve Williams | Pig and Pallet/Good Game

Chorizo sausages

Pete & Steve are true artisans and very proud of they we do. Their mission is to make the best tasting game and cured meat in the world!

Everything they do is by hand, like true artisans. They cure using only salt and natural Exe estuary air, using no Nitrates, salt peter or curing agents. They don’t even use drying chambers – they do it the traditional way.

Good Game supports local producers, sourcing their pork mostly from Kenniford Farms or small producers or rare breed pigs like Oxford Sandy and Blacks or Devon Blacks. ​

​1.30pm | Budleigh Bread Bake Off | Temple Methodist church hall

​Kevin Wood | Earls Coffee House

Kevin is the proprietor of Earls Coffee House located at the top of the High Street in Budleigh, previously the Natwest Bank. The now hugely popular Earls opened for business in July 2016.

Kevin was classically trained as a chef at Exeter College and specialised in patisserie, alongside hotel management. During this time, he was fortunate enough to win the Devon Fayre Bakeries Award for Student of the year.

Kevin went on to work in a wide range of hospitality establishments throughout the southwest then spending some time in Australia, before returning to start his own company, an Artisan Bakery. Kevin developed the business and ended up producing products for national companies including Boots, Holland and Barrett and Marks and Spencer.

"I fell in love with Budleigh after spending many summer evenings sitting on the picturesque beachside. I then decided to move to the town in 2012 having sold my Artisan Bakery Company. I wanted to be a part of the community within Budleigh and give something back to this wonderful town, and so, Earls was born. Since opening, we have gone from strength to strength, we have been so warmly welcomed to the town and so well received. We take pride in our role within the community and look forward to developing Earls as we move into 2017".

​Zac Laverick

Baker at Otterton Mill using their fabulous home milled flour. Zac has worked as a chef until starting at Otterton Mill 8 Years ago, where he learned the best baking techniques using traditional methods. He is Head Baker at the Mill and loves to transform local ingredients into amazing breads and cakes.

2.30pm | Emil Todorov | Bowmers Restaurant

Livornese Fish Stew

​Emil began his cooking career in Dubai working as a barman but helping out in the kitchen when they were super busy. Naturally, his talents and enthusiasm were spotted, his skills were developed and his chef’s career was kicked off in fine style. Then a move to the UK with his wife and young family and a spell at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons ‘I was at the bottom of the food chain at Le Manoir, along with about 30 other young hopefuls - but I truly learnt the disciplines of how a kitchen should operate and that has been invaluable’.

Then Emil’s the career really began, working his way up the ladder and progressing his career with Corus, working to set up kitchens and menus in new hotels in the group. A move to Exeter and a chance meeting with the Head Chef of the Magdalen Chapter led to the role of Sous Chef at the Chapter where he deputised for the Head Chef and led a brigade of 10 chefs.

Emil’s food is Mediterranean in style, packed with flavour using fresh local ingredients. ‘I have been lucky enough to spend time working with Jane Baxter at Riverford Organics, Mitch Tonks at Rockfish and Nathan Outlaw down in Cornwall ‘fantastic learning and these guys have been a massive influence on me and the way I cook today’.​Bowmers was lucky enough to entice Emil at the start of 2016 since when the Bowmers kitchen has been transformed. Leading the kitchen to cook terrific Mediterranean style food, grabbing the best of local ingredients that are available, and devising dishes that are inventive and packed with flavour is always the order of the day. The contemporary Bowmers environment provides an appropriate backdrop to this casual, rustic style of cooking.

Oh by the way, a final word on Emil – He is an Olympian (yes really) and was part of the Bulgarian canoeing team at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. So fitting in around his time at Bowmers is a hefty training schedule – he wants to get back into competing – watch this space….

3.30pm | Chris Onions | The Old Dairy Kitchen, Trill Farm

Chris is a classically trained chef from Islay, Scotland and has worked in kitchens from Australia to Norway. Before arriving at The Old Dairy Kitchen at Trill Farm, Chris spent three years in Sweden offering care and training for a variety of disadvantaged groups as part of a Care Farm Cooperative. This project provided him with a new vision and vital training on how cooking and the garden can be used for rehabilitation and practical learning. On return to the UK, Chris became sous chef and tutor at River Cottage HQ, where the sourcing of local and organic ingredients strengthened Chris’s belief that chefs must take responsibility for the social and environmental effects their cooking has both locally and as part of the food system as a whole.​At the Old Dairy Kitchen, Chris hosts weekly Wednesday and Saturday lunches, as well as seasonal Feasts and courses, all with a focus on ingredients from his doorstep, neighbours and community members.

Sunday 9 April 2017The Public Hall, Station Road, Budleigh Salterton

10am | Budleigh Bread Bake Off Judging with Willi, Kevin and Zac

11am | Charlotte Hanson | The Cake Lady

Easter Cake Decoration V

On the day Charlotte will be demonstrating how to prepare a cake, level, fill, crumb coat then ice to a professional standard. Crimp, emboss and trim as well as how to make elegant flowers including hand made roses and calla lilies and how to use various cutters and other decorative techniques.

David's career spans 25 years working at the Savoy Hotel before joining the Four Ways Inn and Waterside Restaurant in Bermuda. He became Sous Chef at the 5 star Imperial Hotel in Torquay before opening his own successful restaurant, Gardiner's in Budleigh Salterton, making the Michelin Guide. Following the sale of his restaurant in 2007, David joined Brend Hotels as Executive Chef before joining us in 2011.

1pm | Alastair David | Darts Farm Butchers

Butchery skills and Spring Lamb with Willi RehbockFresh cooked filet of lamb with potato and mint salsaJoin Dart Farm’s Master Butcher Alastair David for a Spring Lamb Masterclass. Discover how they source their locally-reared lamb to ensure the finest quality. A fantastic chance to learn about the different lamb cuts as well as cooking techniques and butchery skills.

Master Butcher Alastair David along with his brother Philip, are responsible for sourcing and hand selecting all of Darts Farms meat. Their attention to detail is fine-tuned, with many years of experience. The Butchers recently won Devon Life Best Butcher 2016 and Alastair was awarded ’Retail Butchery Champion 2015’ at the National FARMA Awards. He has developed an excellent judgement for selecting the finest quality and his skills have been recognised throughout the country as he is invited to judge at some of the top livestock shows.

2pm | Sue Stoneman | South West Home Cook of the Year & Devon Foodie

Sue lives in Exmouth with her husband and 2 sons. An enthusiastic and happy home cook, she has recently been awarded the prestigious title of South West Home Cook of the Year. Other titles under her cooks hat are West Country Baking Champion, Sticky Toffee Pudding Champion and she has also appeared on the BBC TV programme The Box with James Martin. If she’s not cooking in her kitchen, you will find her cooking outdoors in her wood fired oven and BBQ. Sue also does cookery demonstrations locally and further afield, as well as penning restaurant reviews for Crumbs Magazine and writing recipes for the UK BBQ Magazine.

3pm | Budleigh Master Chef final​

Live cook off with two finalists from Budleigh. ​Judges: Willi Rehbock, David Gardiner, Sue Stoneman